The Syrian army backed by its popular allies, Russian and Syrian airstrikes have deployed their forces in the Southwestern side of the town of al-Tabaqa in Western Raqqa and are only 5 kilometers away from the town, the Syrian Army said on Wednesday.

"The Syrian government forces, who launched their anti-ISIS operation along the road connecting Ithriya in Hama province to al-Tabaq, won back the ISIS position one after another and deployed their ready-to-fight forces near the town's countryside," the sources said.

"The ISIL left behind at least 15 dead members, including commanders, and several more wounded and fled the battlefront," they added.

"The ISIS military vehicles also sustained major damage in the attacks," the sources said.

"The Syrian and Russian warplanes played crucial role in the ground forces' advances in Western Raqqa," the sources said.

In relevant developments on Tuesday, the Syrian Army troops and National Defense Forces (NDF) engaged in fierce clashes with the ISIL along Hama's main road to al-Tabaqa airbase and forced the terrorists to retreat from the battlefield.

The ISIS left behind at least 16 members, including non-Syrians, dead and several more wounded and fled the battlefield after its offensive to penetrate into the government forces' position along a road connecting Ithriya in Hama to al-Tabaqa in Raqqa were fended off by the Syrian government forces.

In the meantime, several ISIL members, including their commanders, were killed in clashes with the terrorist rivals of Liwa Thawar al-Raqqa in Northern Raqqa, FNA reported.